


I Hate You Too

by Fade_and_loathing_in_thedas



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern: Still Have Powers, Established Relationship, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Mage Hawke (Dragon Age), Red Hawke (Dragon Age)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-28
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-13 19:20:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29033811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fade_and_loathing_in_thedas/pseuds/Fade_and_loathing_in_thedas
Summary: Hawke gets badly injured after a fight. Varric, overly concerned about her well-being, and knowing she'd never ask, goes to visit. It turns out you don't always have to say "I love you" to say I love you.
Relationships: Female Hawke/Varric Tethras
Comments: 4
Kudos: 10





	I Hate You Too

The problem with visiting stubborn idiots, especially ones who get themselves injured in drunken bar fights, in hospital was that it was damn near impossible unless you were a relative or the City Guard.

Varric glanced around the hospital lobby and tried Aveline’s number again, and once again got her voice mail. 

“Varric?” He looked up, relief coursing through him when he saw Carver. “How is she?” 

Carver gave him a strange look. “You’re here because of Marian?” 

Was that so hard to believe? 

“Yes,” Varric said, a little harder than he had intended. “Is she okay?” 

Carver pulled a face. “She’s as bitchy and difficult as usual, but...well, it's not great. There were about ten of the bastards all together, and Aveline is still trying to round up and arrest them all.” 

“If I ever get my hands on them...” Varric trailed off into a growl, then took a deep breath and unclenched his fist. “How is she?”

Carver shrugged. “The surgery went well, but she will need extensive physiotherapy. She’ll walk again, but as far as long term damage goes…” He shrugged again.

“I want to see her. Can you get me in?” Cocking his head to the side, Carver studied him. “Why? She's upset enough without people seeing her like this.”

“Not to be rude, Junior, but since when do you give a shit about her?” 

“I don’t,” Carver said immediately, flushing. “I really don’t.”

Varric shook his head. The Hawke siblings had the strangest relationship. “You both have issues.”

Carver gave him a lopsided smile. “I’m not gonna argue with that. But at least I’m not as emotionally constipated as her.” Varric wasn’t going to argue with that. “I’ve got to talk to her.”

“Not sure talking to her now is a good idea. She told me to leave her alone.” 

“No offense, but I’m not you.” 

“There’s that.” Carver crossed his arms over his chest. “But what do you want with her?” Varric almost smiled. For all of Carver’s claims that he didn’t care about his sister, he forever gave the opposite impression. “I’ll tell Hawke what I want with her. After you get me inside.”

Carver eyed him for a moment before nodding and motioning him to follow him. “Let’s go.” When they came her room, Carver came to a halt in front of the door turned to Varric “If you make me regret this, I will—”

“You’re cute when you try threatening people like Hawke does,” Varric said with a smile before dropping it and looking Carver in the eye. “Maybe you should actually just tell her you care. You’re the only family she has left.” 

Carver made a face and said reluctantly, “I’ll think about it.”

Opening the door, Varric entered the room and shut it quietly. His eyes zeroed in on the figure on the bed. Hawke had her face buried in the pillow, her fingers clenching the pillow so hard her knuckles were white. 

The knot of worry that had taken up permanent residence in Varric’s stomach since he’d found out about the fight coiled tighter as a wave of protectiveness surged through him. Varric quietly walked to the bed and stared at the back of Hawke’s head. Despite his words to Carver, he wasn’t all that sure that she would want to see him. He couldn’t know for sure what her reaction would be, particularly in regards to anyone seeing her in such a weakened state.

Varric lifted his hand and brushed a long dark eyelash off her cheek. It was moist.

Flinching, Hawke turned her head and stared at him unblinkingly. Her nose was red, her lips were chapped, and her eyes were red and wet. There was nothing pretty about her right now. Varric wanted to kiss her. So he did.

He leaned down and fit their lips together. A soft, little whine escaped her mouth. Burying his fingers in her hair, Varric kissed her deeper, sucking and biting on her lips.

Suddenly, Hawke tore her mouth away and glared at him. “What do you think you’re doing?” 

“Kissing you,” Varric said, kissing one corner of her mouth and then the other one. Hawke’s lips parted before she smacked Varric on the head and pushed him away. “Stop that!” 

Hawke’s brows drew together suspiciously. “Why are you here?” Her eyes narrowed. “Are you feeling sorry for me?”

Varric laughed. "Maker forbid. Who in their right mind would feel sorry for you?” The suspicious look didn’t vanish from her face, though her shoulders relaxed a little. “Then why are you here?”

Varric took a seat on the bed. “Am I not allowed to be worried for a friend and business partner? You getting attacked puts a bit of a damper on our plans.” He had meant it as a joke, but he instantly regretted it when she averted her gaze. Varric stroked the inside of Hawke’s wrist until she lifted her eyes again. “I wanted to make sure you were okay,” Varric said.

“Don’t,” Hawke hissed, “I don’t need comfort. Especially not from some two bit hack writer, whose only successful relationship is with a weapon” Taking her chin in his fingers, Varric tipped her face up, forcing her to meet his gaze. “Do you have to be such a bitch?” 

Hawke flushed, scowled, then looked away before darting a glance at Varric again. If she had been anyone else, Varric would have thought her shy. 

Then, sending him a scathing look, she snarled “Just piss off. I'm sure you have some kind of important bullshit to do, and most importantly, you're disturbing my rest." In that moment, he felt such an overwhelming surge of affection mixed with sadness. No one should need to be this guarded.

“Nothing more important than you,” he said gently. "There is honestly nowhere else I'd rather be." Then he placed his hand next to hers, palm up.

Slowly, very slowly, she edged her hand closer until their fingers curled together. Hawke's scowl deepened. “I’ll kill you if this is a joke,” she snapped.

Varric chuckled. “This must really be love, because there’s no other reason for me to find your constant bitching adorable.” Hawke glowered at him, and Varric finally gave in to the urge to kiss that scowling mouth again.

“Wait,” Hawke said suddenly, wrenching herself away from Varric, “Are you really saying...” She couldn't even finish the sentence, so discomforted by the idea, and looked at Varric with suspicion. 

Varric brushed a thumb across her cheek. “You’re such a little shit,” he murmured, trailing kisses on her cheek. “But yeah, I do. I have no idea how it happened, but I do.” 

She squeezed his hand almost painfully. Then buried her face in his shoulder and muttered a few words. Varric’s heart somersaulted into his throat. “What was that?” he said wryly, even though he had heard her perfectly. 

Hawke punched him in the shoulder. “I said I hate you.” Varric hid his smile in her hair and breathed in deeply.

“I hate you, too,” Varric said, wrapping his arms around her. He thought back to their first meeting. If someone back then had told him he would fall completely and hopelessly in love with an overly aggressive, arrogant, selfish brat of a mage, he would have thought they were crazy. 

Hawke snaked her arms around Varric, squeezing him tight, and grumbled “I’ll never be able to get rid of you, will I?” 

Varric grinned “Never.”


End file.
